The 2021 season will go down as one of the NFL’s most memorable in more ways than one: An epic playoff tournament full of down-to-the-wire finishes, Tom Brady’s swan song year, the unexpected rise of the Cincinnati Bengals. You name it. 2021 had it all.
We now begin the long and painful countdown toward Week 1, 2022 kickoff. With the 2021 season now behind us, it’s time to see how all 32 NFL teams stack up against one another.
32. New York Giants
Sorry if this is harsh, Giants fans, but there just isn’t much to be optimistic about.
We’ll say this: We love the move of naming Brian Daboll their new head coach. But going from Josh Allen to Daniel Jones is…uh…not going to be an easy task.
This remains a floundering franchise with a lack of clear direction. There’s a good chance they cut ties with several high-priced albeit productive vets like Saquon Barkley, James Bradberry, Kenny Golladay et al.
31. New York Jets
Both the Jets and Giants are armed with a pair of first-round picks, so there’s at least something for New York fans to be excited about.
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The main priority for Robert Saleh’s group is simple: Fix a defense that ranked dead-last in both yards and points. Another playmaker on the perimeter for Zach Wilson would help, too!
30. Jacksonville Jaguars
Hiring Doug Pederson as head coach is a massive win to start the offseason. Super Bowl-winning coaches don’t grow on trees, and Peterson has been one of the game’s most innovative offensive minds for a while.
The Jaguars will get a new franchise cornerstone player with the top selection. There’s plenty of cap space to work with as well. A few savvy moves could really accelerate the rebuild here.
29. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers will continue to be an afterthought if they don’t find a capable starting quarterback this offseason. We doubt they’ll be in the running for Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. Will they take a chance on Deshaun Watson? Jimmy Garoppolo? Or take their guy with the No. 6 pick?
Stay tuned. Also, bringing back Haason Reddick and/or Stephon Gilmore wouldn’t be a bad idea!
28. Houston Texans
Lovie Smith will get another chance at the head coaching position. Here’s hoping the Texans are actually patient and don’t fire him after one year.
Houston owns the No. 3 pick, and they’ll have plenty of options with it. Fortunately, Bill O’Brien isn’t here to trade the pick for a backup running back or a practice squad QB!
27. Detroit Lions
The Lions hold the No. 32 selection as well as the Los Angeles Rams’ 2022 first-rounder. And with plenty of cap space to work with, the potential greatly exists for this group to vastly improve on its win total.
If they could just find Jared Goff another weapon or two while beefing up the pass rush…
26. Chicago Bears
A bit surprising to see the Bears hire a defensive-minded coach when the trend is to hire a young offensive guy to work with the new franchise quarterback. Anywho, Matt Eberflus earned this opportunity after a phenomenal run as the Indianapolis Colts’ DC.
Now, all he and new GM Ryan Poles have to do is get an offensive line, some secondary help and two new offensive weapons for Justin Fields. Without a first-round pick this year! It can’t be too hard?
25. Washington Commanders
The Football Team won seven games in 2021 despite lackluster QB play. The defense should bounce back following a down year. We don’t hate their chances of making a run for the NFC East crown, but it’s imperative for Ron Rivera and company to find a capable starting QB.
If they’re not high on any of the quarterback prospects at the draft…Jimmy Garoppolo or Jameis Winston would be worth targeting.
24. Denver Broncos
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The Broncos have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball but are lacking at the game’s most important position.
Be it Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Russell Wilson, Matt Corral or Kenny Pickett…whoever! The Broncos are one average to solid QB away from emerging as a playoff contender in the AFC.
But no seriously, trade for Aaron Rodgers.
23. Atlanta Falcons
A lot to sort through here. Will the Falcons keep Matt Ryan? What is Calvin Ridley’s future with the club? Do the Falcons add more offensive weaponry with the No. 8 pick, or do they try to fix the anemic defense?
The good news: Tom Brady’s retirement leaves the NFC South division race wide open. Don’t be surprised if the Falcons go aggressive this offseason.
22. Minnesota Vikings
Well…if Aaron Rodgers ends up retiring or getting traded…the Vikings will suddenly be the favorites in the NFC North.
Minny has too much talent on offense to be a non-playoff team. Kevin O’Connell brings a fresh voice to this prolific offense. But can the new front office regime make the right moves and fix this anemic defense? That oughta be the main priority as Minny tries to break out of mediocrity once and for all…
21. Seattle Seahawks
All eyes are on Russell Wilson in Seattle. If he stays, they remain a playoff contender. If he gets traded, then it’s time to begin a scorched-earth rebuilding process.
If Wilson does stay? Seattle will have limited cap space and draft capital to fix their wretched o-line and leaky secondary. With no first-round pick to address those concerns, we certainly wish John Schneider and Pete Carroll luck!
20. New Orleans Saints
The Saints promoted DC Dennis Allen to head coach following Sean Payton’s departure. NOLA doesn’t seem intent on rebuilding, and rightfully so. With Tom Brady gone, the NFC South is there for the taking.
New Orleans could bring back Jameis Winston, which wouldn’t be a terrible move. Maybe they push for Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers? Either way, GM Mickey Loomis has plenty of options in finding the next franchise quarterback.
Expect the Saints to be a prime playoff contender next season. If they can just figure out the QB situation, they’ll be a force in the NFC.
19. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins’ first major offseason move was curiously firing Brian Flores…before replacing him with San Francisco 49ers OC Mike McDaniel.
Bringing in a younger coach with an offensive background is a clear sign that the Dolphins are committed to Tua Tagovailoa. The ‘Phins need to upgrade the o-line, defensive line and receiver group. It’ll be interesting to see how GM Chris Grier proceeds after winning a power struggle against Flores.
18. Indianapolis Colts
Still can’t believe they lost to the Jaguars in a must-win game to close out the season.
It’s no surprise that the Colts’ higher-ups wouldn’t fully endorse bringing Carson Wentz back next year. But without a first-round pick in this year’s draft, it’s going to be tough to swing a trade for someone like Rodgers or Wilson.
Indy’s best bet may be to give Wentz one last chance to prove himself. The main priority is for GM Chris Ballard to upgrade the receiving corps.
17. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers boast one of the league’s most explosive offensive units and a stingy secondary. But they’ll need to upgrade the interior defensive line after ranking a woeful 30th against the run.
Also, does Mike Williams stay or go? If it’s the latter, GM Tom Telesco will have to move quickly to find a new sidekick to Keenan Allen.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Well, Brady’s retirement certainly makes things interesting in Tampa. Do the Bucs rebuild, retool or reload? Mike Evans, Lavonte Davis, Tristan Wirfs Jr. and Devin White are signed long-term.
So do the Bucs try to keep most of their key pending free agents –namely Chris Godwin and Ryan Jensen – and bring in a veteran QB to keep the window open? Tampa Bay is very limited in cap room, so GM Jason Licht (LIGHT) has plenty to sort through.
15. Philadelphia Eagles
Yeah, they probably overachieved with nine wins and a return to the postseason. But the Eagles should actually be better – not worse – in 2022!
That’s because they own a trio of first-round picks – all of which are in the top 19. They should be able to find another explosive pass-catcher for Jalen Hurts, a new stud offensive lineman and a game-wrecker to help the defense.
There’s a lot to be excited about in Philly this offseason.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers should actually be better in 2021. I mean, they went 9-7-1 with a fading Ben Roethlisberger playing at quarterback.
If the Steelers bring in a suitable veteran or make a play for someone like Kenny Pickett or Matt Corral, we love their chances of competing for the AFC North.
The defense remains a strength, but the offensive nucleus is also deep with Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth, Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. Like approximately one-third of NFL teams, Pittsburgh is one simple QB upgrade away from reaching the next level.
13. Cleveland Browns
Have to think Cleveland would have made the postseason if they weren’t ravaged by injuries. But… “ if ifs ands and buts were candy and nuts, every day would be Christmas”… right?
Anywho, the Browns have committed to Baker Mayfield for a fifth season. Fine, but they oughta upgrade the receiver group following the failed Odell Beckham Jr. experiment. We recommend using the first-rounder on someone like Chris Olave, Drake London or Garrett Wilson.
In short, this group is too talented on both sides of the ball to miss the playoffs in 2022. We’ll see how the front office goes about ensuring that it doesn’t happen again.
12. Las Vegas Raiders
Josh McDaniels is the new head coach in Sin City, and he managed to recruit former Giants’ DC Patrick Graham for the same role in Vegas.
So that’s done. Up next, the new Raiders’ regime has to decide if they want to commit to Derek Carr long-term. News flash! They probably should.
Once that’s settled, they’ll want to look at adding more pieces to a defense that greatly improved under Gus Bradley.
11. Arizona Cardinals
So the Cardinals are going to give Kliff Kingsbury a fourth season on the job. Not sure how Kyler Murray feels about that, but it’s telling that he unfollowed the team’s accounts on social media…
Arizona obviously won’t look to trade Murray this offseason. But there is work to do on reshaping this hot-and-cold offense and talented-but-inconsistent secondary.
Making the playoffs won’t be enough in 2022. The Redbirds have to go on a deep run. Otherwise, Kingsbury and GM Steve Keim could find themselves out of work…
10. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys won 12 games and the NFC East division, and yet 2021 still feels like a failure. They looked poised to go on a deep run, only to fall to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round.
Jerry Jones needs to clear some cap room. Michael Gallup will likely leave in free agency. Does Jones also cut Amari Cooper to free up valuable dollars? Will he look to move Ezekiel Elliott?
Should be an adventurous offseason as Dallas tries to rebound from a gut-wrenching and untimely playoff exit.
9. Tennessee Titans
Consecutive playoff losses at home shouldn’t sit well with Mike Vrabel.
The Titans can expect better health luck next year, particularly for Derrick Henry, Caleb Farley and Julio Jones. Seems like they’re fine giving Ryan Tannehill another chance following a dismal postseason outing…though they may as well gauge the market for Rodgers and Wilson.
Having reached the AFC title game three seasons ago, and having followed it up with consecutive division titles, it’s championship-or-bust in Music City.
8. New England Patriots
The Patriots are well-positioned to rejoin the AFC’s elite in 2022. Mac Jones can only improve after a mostly solid rookie season. Don’t worry about Josh McDaniels leaving. Bill Belichick always loses assistants and finds suitable replacements anyway.
The New England defense could use some more juice in the front seven, and a home run threat on offense wouldn’t hurt. Just one or two splashy moves, and New England will be ready to challenge the likes of KC, Buffalo and Cincy in the AFC.
7. Baltimore Ravens
Too high for a non-playoff team? Nah. Everyone knows Baltimore would have won the division if Lamar Jackson was healthy the entire season.
The Ravens’ D will return to elite status with Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey hopefully healthy and recovered in time for next season. When Jackson is under center, B-more a prime Super Bowl contender. Not much more needs to be said.
6. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals came oh so close in 2021, but they fell just short. The good news is they still have plenty of young pieces to help them contend for Super Bowls for years to come…
The bad news is that one of those pieces – quarterback Joe Burrow – may not last very long if they don’t do something about the offensive line protecting him.
5. Green Bay Packers
We can tell you this much: The Packers will drop significantly in our rankings if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t return in 2022. If he does come back to the Cheeseheads? Then the Packers will remain a prime player for the NFC crown.
But Rodgers is only one of the big fish the Packers MUST retain. Don’t forget that Davante Adams is a free agent, and he’s understandably not exactly keen on taking a major hometown discount…
4. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers reached Super Bowl 54 with Jimmy Garoppolo. And the 2021 NFC Championship Game with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Well, 2021 first-rounder Trey Lance promises to add another dimension to Kyle Shanahan’s offense. That’s why we’re high on these 49ers. Garoppolo is average at best, whereas Lance has limitless potential in an offense consisting of Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Elijah Mitchell, Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk.
Oh, and the Nick Bosa-Fred Warner-led defense is pretty good too. These 49ers should be a force again in 2022.
3. Buffalo Bills
The Bills were awfully close to defeating the Chiefs at Arrowhead. A painful loss, no doubt. But they’re obviously capable of going toe-to-toe with the AFC’s top club, and you have to think they’ll break through eventually.
Buffalo only had the best defense last season. And Josh Allen is only a top-five QB in the game. What’s there to worry about in 2022 other than KC?
2. Los Angeles Rams
The LA Rams went all in for a Super Bowl, and they got it. Looks like trading all those draft picks was the right call after all.
We’d usually put the reigning champs in the top spot, but these Rams do have some question marks heading into the offseason—with the futures of several key pieces, including Aaron Donald, Odell Beckham Jr and Von Miller, still in question.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were one play away from reaching their third straight Super Bowl…an utterly impressive feat to say the very least.
Still, this roster needs some tinkering. GM Brett Veach needs to overhaul much of the defense, especially the secondary. Adding another deep threat of a pass-catcher would not hurt, either.
The AFC is only going to get tougher in 2022, so the Chiefs must make the necessary roster adjustments.
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